SMART is used universally across the globe and is well known in the world of strategy as a popular goal setting template. I have used SMART but I never fully aligned with it, I always felt it was limiting and wasn’t creative enough.​

I highly recommend you create your own goal setting template depending on what aligns with you and what doesn’t.

Here’s what I like and don’t like about SMART goal setting,

S = Specific – be specific about what you want to accomplish

I like this part as if you’re not specific, you are vague and vague isn’t going tp get you anywhere!

M = Measurable – use metrics to measure progress towards your goal

I’m a big fan of metrics, without metrics you don’t know if you are moving towards or away from your goals.

A = Achievable/Attainable – is your goal achievable & attainable?

This is one of the parts of SMART that I don’t align with. I prefer to set goals that aren’t achievable. I prefer to set big, audacious, almost unrealistic goals – anything else feels limiting to me. You may not be able to achieve your big, audacious, unrealistic goals with the current resources you have but who knows what the future will bring.

DREAM BIG and don’t worry about whether it’s achievable or not, the process will get you further than you can imagine!

R = Relevant – is your goal relevant?

This is another part of SMART that I don’t align with. Goals may be relevant today and irrelevant tomorrow and so only setting relevant goals also feels limiting to me.

T = Timely – does your goal have a timeline?

I half align and half misalign with this. I agree goals should have timelines but I don’t think they should be set in stone. I prefer timelines to be flexible and changeable with an awareness that everything mostly unfolds in its own time, if we have the patience to allow this.

 

The goal setting template that I absolutely love and really align with is Brendon Burchard’s DUMB goals! I love Brendon’s energy, excitement and enthusiasm when explaining what DUMB goals are.

This is what is needed when goal setting – POSITIVE AND INFECTIOUS ENERGY, EXCITEMENT AND ENTHUSIASM

If you watch one video this week, let it be this one!

​Brendon Burchard’s DUMB goals ​

D = Dream Driven 

These goals are influenced and powered by your dreams, your destiny and your passions. What will make you feel meaningful and alive?

U = Uplifting 

These goals are compelling, attractive, fun, exciting and driven by gain. We are way more likely to achieve goals that are compelling, attractive, fun, exciting and driven by gain than the opposite. 

M = Method Friendly 

What practices or methods do you have that make your goals easy to achieve? If you don’t have the methods to achieve your goals, you will need to create these methods.

B = Behaviour Driven 

Your behaviours become habits and your habits move you closer to your goals. Your habitual behaviour then becomes the driving force behind your dreams.

 

No matter what goal setting template you use or how you set goals I echo what Brendon says at the end of his video

‘I don’t want you to be realistic anymore. I want you to advance with reckless abandon towards your dreams by just being DUMB – setting up those very simple Dream Driven, Uplifting, Method Friendly, Behaviour Driven goals that fire you up and get you up every single day’ Brendon Burchard

I wish you joy, happiness, health and contentment on your goal setting journey 😊

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Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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